Patch's 2017 Guide To The Southland's Best Halloween Haunts

If you’re looking for new zombie graveyards, body parts, floating ghosts and devil's playgrounds to explore for Halloween, you’ve come to the right place. Patch has assembled its annual Tour o’ Yard Haunts for 2017 created by some of the Southland’s most imaginative and demented exterior decorators. We’ve UPDATED our guide for 2017 with displays that are bound to elicit a few 911 calls or set off some pacemakers when a pneumatic-controlled Freddy Krueger lunges at you from the bushes. A few simple rules to keep in mind first:

GET ON THE LIST: Patch’s is a friendly list. We LOVE reader submissions, so we’ll be updating the list every FRIDAY leading up to Halloween. So send in your pictures and tell us why your yard haunt is special to lorraine.swanson@patch.com. Read more about getting on the list.

WAIT! THERE'S MORE: Check out these lists for more yard haunts throughout the Chicago area: Chicagoland Yard Haunts, Haunted Illinois Directory and Illinois Haunted Houses.

There’s free fun to be had in the days leading up to Halloween, so set your GPS for these time-honored spooky standbys and newbies. You won’t win anything except maybe bragging rights.

Alsip

EERIE IN ALSIP, 3624 W. 123RD PLACE, ALSIP -- A must-see haunt, Eerie in Alsip won first place in Alsip’s Halloween yard decorating contest in 2015. The homeowners have built a mausoleum and cemetery with lights, music and fog. Beware of the undertaker.

Burbank

MURDERERS ROW, 7711 MAJOR AVE., BURBANK -- A red carpet of celebrity movie monsters including Freddy Krueger, Jason Vorhees, Leatherface, Michael Meyers, Beetlejuice, Lydia, Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bridge, Electrocution Man and more! The display is available for viewing seven days a week from 7 p.m. to midnight, through Oct. 31. On Saturday, Oct. 28, a 1964 purple Bonneville hearse will be parked on the front lawn for people to take selfies with. Under camera surveillance. Please don’t touch the props.

THE NEPHILIM FALLEN ANGELS, 8211 and 8215 S. MULLIGAN AVE., BURBANK - It’s heartwarming when neighbors get along and pitch in to turn their front lawns into a hell for fallen angels every Halloween. Now in its seventh year, the Ghoul Crew comes out to play on the weekends through Halloween (the Ghoul Crew sleeps during the week). Nephilim opens Oct. 13 and runs through Oct. 31; hours are Fridays and Saturdays 7 to 11 p.m.; Sundays 7 to 10 p.m. Per the scaremeistrs: Leave Reality behind and enter our Dark Realm at the Nephilim Haunted Yard....Many animated and live ghouls surrounding two houses for Double the Scare!!! Creatures have been summoned to join our Nephilim Fallen Angels Ghoul Crew, making our 7th year more frightful! Be prepared to be Scared!! Join us if you DARE, because the next scream you hear will be your own!!!!! This Year we will be accepting donations for Kate Selvage, an Oak Lawn resident who was diagnosed in 2016 with a rare form of Leukemia called Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. (HauntedIllinois.com)

Chicago (South Side)

ADDED! SPOOKY GRAVEYARD, 5232 S. MERRIMAC AVE., CHICAGO, IL -- Don’t let the house eat you. Charming homemade decorations. Kid-friendly.

ADDED! 5915 S. SAWYER AVE., CHICAGO, IL -- These Southsiders have gone all out in their yard haunt.

GRAVEYARD ON AUSTIN, 5926 S. AUSTIN AVE., CHICAGO, IL -- It all started with a small graveyard, a few lights, skeletons and some graves. Every year since 2008, the cemetery is filled with newly deceased zombies, skeletons, bats and other surprises. Just added is a creepy window display. On Halloween, friendly live monsters will crawl out of the cemetery. Jake and Elwood Bones Brothers will also be on a mission from the undead causing some mischief and trouble. In the spirit of Halloween, Graveyard on Austin will be collecting pet food to be given to ILPitcrew Rescue; monetary donations will be donated to Chicago Police Memorial. Open for viewing through Nov. 2. Weeknights until 10 p.m. and midnight on weekends.

Crestwood

FRIGHTMARE ON FORESTVIEW, 13155 FORESTVIEW LANE, CRESTWOOD -- Remember that shoebox your little brother used to hide under his bed filled with limbs and heads from your Barbie dolls? This place is it. This is the first year Frightmare has been on the Patch Tour ‘o Haunted Yards. The mistress of fright warns us Frightmare is going digital in 2017.

Flossmoor

EVIL ON AVERS, 18808 AVERS AVE., FLOSSMOOR -- Evil on Avers is a themed yard display entitled “Grinning Gourd Farm & Garden”. There are animated and static characters in scenes including a hayride of creepy children, pumpkin monsters, a corn monster tending the farm stand, giant praying mantises who have found their prey in the cornfield, garden gnomes carrying a coffin and more.

"I have been 'haunting' my home for about 20 years. I do make quite a few of my own props. I am a member of Chicago Haunt Builders, a great group of people who get together to build props and share our love Halloween," Cindy Ver Haar says. Hours are dusk to 10 p.m. through Oct. 31.

Hickory Hills

8137 W. 90TH ST., HICKORY HILLS -- A whimsical, kid-friendly lawn display featuring a pumpkin patch, witches brew, a friendly graveyard and a li’l monsters daycare. Love it!

CORNER OF THE CURSED, 8945 82ND AVE., HICKORY HILLS, IL -- Let the sin begin! Oak Lawn's little corner of Hades has moved to Hickory Hills. We love a guy whose sole goal in life is to fill a corner lot with insane clowns. This cursed yard display features two real coffins, a headless girl whose neck drains blood into a bucket and a swinging hangman, to name a few. On weekends, actors join the motion-sensored animatronics. WARNING: Monsters talk back.

Hometown

LORETTO CEMETERY, 9041 BECK PLACE, HOMETOWN -- Tom Roche has been decorating his yard for the past six years, adding props and animatronics. The haunt includes 25-30 props, a handful which move and talk. Roche and his girlfriend are out most nights haunting the yard with chainsaws and sledgehammers. This homeowner also has another surprise for trick or treaters. Watch out for the man on the lawn mower. Yard lights up 7-7:30 p.m. most nights through Oct. 31.

HOMETOWN’S UNFORGIVEN, 4546 W. 89TH PLACE, HOMETOWN -- If you’re feeling lonely this Halloween, stop by this haunt for a free hug. This cemetery features a torso bleeding into a wall, a bleeding skull fountain, fog machines, animated props, live actors, and a real 8x12 haunted house filled with two-way mirrors, a drop panel and a surprise in the ceiling. (We won’t spoil it for you.) If you stopped by last year, come back again because every year is different. The real fun happens when the monsters are released and no one is safe on Oct. 28, Oct. 31 and Nov. 4. On Halloween they’re handing out fun-sized candy bars. Unforgiven is also a teal pumpkin house, which means they’ll be offering alternatives for kids with allergies like small toys and such. Hometown’s Unforgiven will also be accepting free-will donations of dog and cat food, kitty litter, old newspapers, blankets and towels for Animal Welfare League of Chicago Ridge. Should get going by Oct 14.

Homewood

ADDED! HAUNTED HALLOW, 17560 HILLSIDE AVE., HOMEWOOD -- Stop by and play with the cemetery clowns. Maybe they’ll pose for a selfie with you -- if you dare. Haunted Hallow features homemade scares featured on tv and in print. Lit up 7 to 10 p.m. through Oct. 31.

ADDED! NIGHTMARE ON PAGE, 18613 PAGE AVE., HOMEWOOD -- Joe Garcia and his neighbor have been decorating their yards for the past 10 years. They are the hit of the town on Halloween night, when live actors fill the haunts. Lights are on 6:30 p.m. to midnight.

Joliet

NIGHTMARE ON STEVEN SMITH, 1321 STEVEN SMITH ST., JOLIET -- This yard haunt features music, fog machines and scary displays that just might come to life so watch out. This is a drive/walk by location and visitors are allowed to take pictures with the actors or of the displays.

ADDED! NEUFEARFIELD CEMETERY, 913 NEUFAIRFIELD DRIVE, JOLIET, IL -- A Joliet haunt with homemade props, featuring tombstones, a hungry fence, pillars of hell, Freddy and a female zombie. On weekends, the Fox-Rademacher family uns music, eerie sounds and fog, but the lights and animatronics are up all week. On Oct, 28, the Damsel of Darkness Becky is expecting a small zombie horde but don’t worry, they won’t sneak up on kids. On Halloween, the family will be handing out FULL SIZED candy bars to the first 200 trick-or-treaters. Will be fully operational on OCT. 14. Hours are 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 7 to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, through Oct. 31.

Justice

ENDLESS ROAD, 7350 S. BANKS, JUSTICE - 6-10 p.m. through Oct. 31. Speed kills. A one-acre display that changes from year to year. Set the GPS.

Lockport

NIGHTMARE IN LOCKPORT, 1010 McCAMERON AVE., LOCKPORT -- After a 9-year hiatus, the Ash family has resurrected their old beloved home haunt from the dead. This yard features wonderful homemade props, most of them stationary, but you never know what’s going to come back to life. Say the Ashes: “We do this for our love of Halloween and to connect with those who love it too. It is ghoulish tradition.”

Midlothian

ADDED! STUTTGART HAUNTING, 14349 KILPATRICK AVE., MIDLOTHIAN -- The Stuckarts of Midlothian turn their front yard into a freak show. The family loves horror movies and Halloween. The children of the homeowners, Vicky and Roland, are trying to keep the family tradition alive for as long as they can. The yard is lit up every October eve from 7 to 10 p.m. On Halloween, Oct. 31, there will be a change in decor and the show will be at its peak. Stuttgart Haunting will have live actors for pictures and frights from 3 to 8 p.m. They’ll also have some good treats for the trick-or-treaters.

ADDED! GRAVEYARD ON KILPATRICK, 14441 KILPATRICK AVE., MIDLOTHIAN -- Judy Scott has been decorating her yard for so many years that she has no more room on her front lawn. Well worth a drive-by to see this Midlothian Halloween House prize winner. She should have everything in place Oct. 16. Lighted from dusk to 10:30 p.m. through Oct. 31.

UPDATED! OLD TOWN TERROR, 4359 W. 150th ST., MIDLOTHIAN -- Old Town Terror and its demented clowns have moved to Midlothian. This award-winning home haunt features a huge yard display, including a garage walkthrough that will scare the snot out of you (weather permitting). DUSK TO 10 P.M., OCT. 26 THROUGH OCT. 30; 3 to 10 p.m. OCT. 31. Check out their review on Horror Tourers.

Mokena

SPOOKY HOUSE ON SARKIS, 19410 SARKIS DRIVE, MOKENA -- Don’t let those friendly pumpkin inflatables on the front lawn fool you. John and Lisa Fabian run a different digital 3-D mix every night in his home’s six windows and the door. Some nights you’ll see witches stirring brews to ghastly ghosts flittering across the windows. On some nights Fabians unleash zombies where the windows turn blood red. (“My wife thinks they’re a little gory.”) Young kids will enjoy this haunt, except you might want to skip Zombie night. Creative and fascinating. We’ve included a YouTube video that Fabian put together. Find out what’s playing at the Spooky House on Sarkis Drive Facebook Page. Opens Friday the 13th (Oct. 13). Hours are dusk until 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursday, 11 p.m. on weekends, through Oct. 31. The Fabians are also collecting donations of cleaning supplies, canned dog food, 55 gallon garbage bags and bags of litter for Cache Creek Animal Rescue, which can be left in the tote by the mailbox.

Monee

ADDED! MONEE MANOR, 24066 S. CICERO AVE., MONEE, IL -- Take a drive down Cicero Avenue to where the streetlights end that dark country takes over. This is the Berryhill family’s fifth year of doing their country yard haunt. Creepy animatronic and static ghosts await you, mostly homemade. Come see the huge graveyard with 10-foot pillars, skeleton stock chambers and basement zombies. Watch out for the MASSIVE rooftop spider. New for 2017: an elaborate toxic waste dump. The neighbors also do a nice display. There’s plenty of shoulder area to park and walk along the front of the property to get a closer look. Dusk to midnight through Nov. 5. Who knew Cicero Avenue went that far?

New Lenox

ADDED! MANOR OF EVIL, 2867 FERRO DRIVE, NEW LENOX -- This little corner of hades has been featured on NBC 5 Chicago and too many local papers to count.The haunt features a full frontal facade over the original brick exterior. Every piece is handmade from wood, including a large breathing skull over the entry the blows smoke. Spikes, skulls, spider webs and chains adorn this haunt. A custom-made “web chair” stands over 9 feet tall and visitors are welcome to take their photos. Watch out for 9-foot-tall chained spider, A large evil cross on the roof beckons the ghosts of Halloweens past. A professional sound system blows out an eerie bone chilling tone. Many nights a large creature known as master can be seen roaming the estate while his skeletons keep guard. Any time is good to view this haunt, but dusk and night are best.

ADDED! DEATH AMONG US, 573 LENOX ST., NEW LENOX -- Operating daily until 10 p.m., through Oct. 31.

508 MARILYN DRIVE, NEW LENOX, IL -- If you have entomophobia you might want to skip this house because it’s covered with spiders.

Oak Forest

MOE’S GRAVEYARD, 6961 W. 156TH PLACE (156TH PLACE AND OAK PARK AVE), OAK FOREST -- Sadly, this will be Moe’s last year. Walk around the graveyard but beware of the frightening ghouls, scary ghost, blood-sucking vampires, witches and so much more. Live actors will be available on Halloween. Members of the band Five Guys Named Moe will also be there in costume to say hello (those old guys rock!). Moe, we hardly knew ye. The haunt will be up from Oct 15 to Oct. 31, dusk to 10 p.m.

ADDED! LOPEZ HALLOWEEN LAIR, 6224 FORESTVIEW DRIVE, OAK FOREST -- These former Hoosiers moved to Oak Forest and took their giant gargoyle, zombies and graveyard with them. This is the Lopez’s family first year decorating in Oak Forest. The haunt will go live this SATURDAY, OCT. 28. Come check out the dancing skeletons. The Lair also features a walkthrough in the garage with animatronics and a spooky scenes. Open 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 28 through Oct. 30; and from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Halloween. The candy menu includes assortment of chocolate, Nerds, Kit Kats, Snickers, Smarties, lollipops and other sweets for the trick-or-treaters.

Oak Lawn

LOFTUS HAUNT, 9738 S. 52ND AVE., OAK LAWN -- This under-the-radar yard haunt is making its grand debut on the Patch Tour o’ Haunts. Now is its tenth year of creating fright.

LIMBWOOD CEMETERY, 9112 LYNWOOD AVE., OAK LAWN - This work- in-progress started out with a few dollar store tombstones and couple of crows. Now the yard haunt has tripled in size and includes a homemade eight-foot-tall grim reaper, music and fog. Keeps getting bigger and better every year. We saw a ghoul proudly #FlyingTheW. Extra points for being Cubs fans.

SPIRITS ON SPROAT/GALLERY OF THE DEAD, 9028 S. SPROAT AVE., OAK LAWN - This who’s who of Hollywood monsters is moving their mash into the back yard (“We’re ready for our closeup, Mr. DeMille.”) It’s also ME-TV Svengoolie’s favorite haunt. Added: Bride of Chucky, flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz, and horror-master Vincent Price. Now in its 14th fabulous year, Spirits on Sproat runs from 7-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays (including Halloween); 7-10 p.m. Sundays and weeknights during Halloween week.

101ST STREET CEMETERY, 5133 W. 101ST ST, OAK LAWN -- Inspired by Pinterest and Dollar Tree, this yard of ghouls has doubled in size from last year, including a garbage can full of guts.

OMINOUS OAKS MANOR, 9739 S. 51st AVE., OAK LAWN -- This upstart yard haunt has gradually grown bigger over the past five years, but this is only the second year Ominous Oaks Joe has felt ready for his closeup. Lights will be on weekdays, but on the weekend actors will be populating the site and on Oct. 30 and Oct. 31, along with fog machines, sounds and other props not typically available during the weekdays. Free-will donations are being accepted for the Don’t Be A Monster Anti-Bullying Campaign. We love these guys!

Orland Park/Orland Hills

SCARES ON SEQUOIA, 7631 SEQUOIA COURT, ORLAND PARK -- Sorry, but the Scarecrow Army at this Orland Park haunt doesn’t sing or dance. Scares on Sequoia gets weirder every year -- and we mean that in a good way. Over 30 animated props populate this lawn, including a pumpkin patch, Dracula and his wolves, and my more. Free-will donations gratefully accepted for the Wounded Warrior Project. Open Oct, 13 through Oct. 31, Monday through Sunday, 6 to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday 6 to 10:30 p.m. and Halloween, Oct, 31, 4 to 10:30 p.m.

SHURLEY HOUSE OF THE DEAD, 17404 DEER CREEK DRIVE, ORLAND PARK. There is lots to see in this yard haunt full of creatures, ghouls, headless brides and more. Check out the projection of the lady in the upstairs window that turns into a ghoul before your very eyes. Fun but not too scary. Kids will like it. Dusk to ten, maybe a little later on weekends through Halloween.

DARK SHADOWS, 16741 88TH COURT, ORLAND HILLS -- If spitting, thrashing skeletons are your thing, than this Orland Hills Haunt is for you. Since 2005, Mike Yazumbek has been turning his front lawn into a creepy graveyard taken over by zombies and skeletons, featuring over 15 animated props. Yazumbek crafts all of the props by hand. The haunt also features a garage walkthrough with a dungeon and clown room on the weekends through Halloween with live actors that might chase you. This residential haunt is also collecting canned goods for Haunts Against Hunger Food Drive. Hours are 6-10 p.m. Oct. 20 through Oct. 31. The yard has won many awards, including Orland Hills’ prize for the best Halloween-decorated display. This residential haunt is FREE.

ADDED! EERIE ACRES CEMETERY, 15238 82ND AVE., ORLAND PARK -- A picture says a thousand words. Going strong for ten years.

SCARY SHERI’S HOUSE OF HORROR, 9048 SHERI LANE, ORLAND PARK -- Lambchop must be lurking somewhere in the shadows. Open dusk to 11ish daily, through Halloween.

SQUEALER ON WHEELER, 7418 WHEELER DRIVE, ORLAND PARK -- What do you get when mix up spider webs, moldy bread and mucky mud? You get Squealer on Wheeler. This friendly haunt is open from dusk until 10:30 p.m. daily, through Halloween.

16801 89TH AVE., ORLAND HILLS -- This family-run yard haunt has been running for three years. It’s open now through Oct. 31. Last year, over 1,000 people flocked to to see the McCarthys’ creepy clowns, animated zombies, caskets and an abandoned elevator that comes to life and goes straight down to hades. Watch out for the hobo clown and IT, who’ve been spotted hiding in the evergreens. The display is lit 7 to 11 p.m. weekdays and until midnight on the weekends. On Halloween, the McCarthys will be handing out FULL SIZED SNICKERS BARS to trick or treaters.

Palos Heights

ADDED! 12342 S. 75TH AVE., PALOS HEIGHTS -- Patch is always happy to add a KID FRIENDLY haunt to the tour. Rita Houston LOVES Halloween and her family goes all out to decorate their yard and make it welcoming to the little candy grabbers.

Shorewood

ADDED! DOMUM DIABOLI HAUNTED HOUSE, 411 BROOK FOREST AVE., SHOREWOOD, IL -- You will SHRIEK when you go through the walk-through haunted house that goes through the garage and into the backyard at this Shorewood Haunt. Yikes! There’s also a cemetery on the front lawn. On Halloween, Oct. 31, DOMUM DIABOLI is offering a low-scare tour of the haunted house for trick-or-treaters. at this Shorewood Haunt. Kids don't have to go through the haunted house to get candy, but if they do, there will be no actors so it will be much less scary. Free will donations to the American Cancer Society gratefully accepted. Open 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 21, Oct. 27, Oct, 28 and Oct. 31.

Tinley Park

ADDED! JOHN'S GRAVEYARD, 6724 165TH PLACE, TINLEY PARK -- In memory of their prankster pop, John's Graveyard is keeping the tradition going with a lawn full of feature hand made props, tombstones and a variety of other decorations. Viewing 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Oct 27 to Oct 31. On Halloween there will be all kinds of candy!!!

Western Springs

HAUNTED YARD DISPLAY, 4125 FOREST AVE., WESTERN SPRINGS, IL -- Kids will love this beautifully decorated, but not to scary yard near Laidlow Elementary School in Western Springs. Every year is different.

Worth

ADDED! HAUNT OF HOLLYWOOD HORRORS, 11560 S. NAGLE AVE., WORTH, IL -- Located in the friendly village, this is a walk-through haunt with live actors (and maybe some dead ones) Fridays and Saturdays through Halloween. Opening OCT. 14. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. daily, through Halloween.